New study shows tumors thrive off the body's natural cancer fighting proteins causing disease to spread as cells are killed off. [Photo/Daily Mail]The body's natural cancer fighting proteins could be fueling the spread of cancer, scientists have discovered.The new research from the University of Michigan focused on prostate cancer to find that the body's process for removing dead and dying cells causes those harmful cells to spread to bones and other organs by increasing inflammation."The goal of any cancer treatment is to kill tumor cells, but paradoxically the body's natural process for removing dead and dying cells can cause tumors to grow,  a phenomenon that is not understood," Dr Hernan Roca, of Michigan University, said.This new revelation could help researchers develop drugs to block the harmful tumor growth in prostate and other cancers, while still allowing the body to clear out the dying cells.The process of removing cellular debris is called efferocytosis, and it is a critical and normal function in both healthy people and those with cancer.These 'cellular house cleaners' are called phagocytes, which are known to be the first immune system responders to resolve infections by foreign invading organisms.Experiments were conducted on blood samples from patients with prostate cancer that had spread. This was compared to others whose disease had remained in the prostate gland.The breakthrough published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation could have implications for some other forms of cancers including breast, researchers said.Before the human experiments, the researchers induced cell death in mouse bone tumors.

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